diff --git a/qutebrowser/completion/models/sortfilter.py b/qutebrowser/completion/models/sortfilter.py
index b1c836ce2..3df787539 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/completion/models/sortfilter.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/completion/models/sortfilter.py
@@ -68,8 +68,9 @@ class CompletionFilterModel(QSortFilterProxyModel):
         """
         with debug.log_time(log.completion, 'Setting filter pattern'):
             self.pattern = val
+            val = re.sub(r' +', r' ', val)  # See #1919
             val = re.escape(val)
-            val = re.sub(r'\ +', r'.*', val)
+            val = val.replace(r'\ ', '.*')
             self.pattern_re = re.compile(val, re.IGNORECASE)
             self.invalidate()
             sortcol = 0
diff --git a/tests/unit/completion/test_sortfilter.py b/tests/unit/completion/test_sortfilter.py
index 68642a71b..cef394226 100644
--- a/tests/unit/completion/test_sortfilter.py
+++ b/tests/unit/completion/test_sortfilter.py
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ def _extract_model_data(model):
     ('foo', 'barfoobar', True),
     ('foo bar', 'barfoobar', True),
     ('foo   bar', 'barfoobar', True),
+    ('foo bar', 'barfoobazbar', True),
+    ('foo   bar', 'barfoobazbar', True),
     ('foo', 'barFOObar', True),
     ('Foo', 'barfOObar', True),
     ('ab', 'aonebtwo', False),